What is a business coach and why you need one!

If you own a business, regardless of its size, then trust me you’re going to need a trained business coach. A trained business coach, sees your business for exactly what it is: the good, the bad and the ugly. That is exactly what you need if you’re going to make your business a success.

A business coach will help you as the business owner take your business from where it is now to where you need to be via a clever and concise questioning technique and a consulting process. They will help you to clarify your strategy via the setting of clear objectives and goals and motivate you to achieve them. A business coach is going to help you solve your business problems to ensure that you win.

Quite often, business owners are so focused on their business (ironically) that they are unable to see the wood for the trees and often even the obvious (and not so obvious) is totally missed.

This is where a business coach is worth their weight in gold.

Not only can a business coach take an objective look at your business, but they also have four other strings to their bow that will help you:

• They don’t have any emotion attached to your business and can, therefore, help you make the right decisions based on facts.
• They can help you to organise yourself and your thoughts.
• They will motivate you.
• A trained business coach will be able to help you answer those questions that have been swirling around your mind.

Because that is one of the most frequent problems experienced by business owners, the dilemma: Do I do this? Or should I do that? 

A business coach is going to help you bring clarity to the messy thoughts that are probably sabotaging your success and holding you back.

How do you pick the right business coach?

• Make sure the coach is properly Accredited. Using the Life Coach Directory will help you here. They vet all of their coaches to ensure they have appropriate coaching qualifications or membership with a professional body.
• Check experience – what is their business experience? What clients have they had?
• Check testimonials – normally on their website. Any Coach will be happy for you to contact ex-clients if you so wish.
• Have a consultation. Ensure you connect with them.
• Does your business coach need to have experience in the industry that you’re in? I think no - in fact, sometimes it can be a hindrance to your coaching.

A good business coach will be able to help you regardless of your industry and I personally believe that an “outsider”, simplistic view (without industry experience) will give you a fresh perspective, that perhaps someone in the industry can’t.

However, if you’re adamant you would like someone who is in your industry then please, target the best coach there is in your industry. The one who has walked the walk and talked the talk. Yes, they will probably be more expensive, but you will know that they are good! 

I hope this has helped you.